Channel chair



June 27, 1939. E PODD ET AL 2,163,889

CHANNEL CHAIR Filed Jan. 15, 1938 grvuc ntow SRO: M4141 Patented June 27, 1939 UNITED STATES CHANNEL CHAIR Ernest A. Podd and Francis J. Niven, Houston, Tex.

Application January 15, 1938, Serial No. 185,137

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a. channel chair.

An object of the invention is to provide means for supporting the reinforcing in certain types of concrete construction, particularly concrete flooring formed with depending reinforcing ribs.

In concrete construction it is common practice to pour the concrete flooring while in plastic state into forms provided for the purpose and whereby depending reinforcing ribs will be formed to add supporting strength to the flooring. Previous to pouring the plastic concretious material, a reinforcing, such as woven wire, is placed in the forms to be embedded in the concrete. In order to obtain the best results it is desirable that this reinforcing be located near the bottom of the floor between the ribs, but near the-top, or upper surface, of the flooring above the ribs.

It is an object of the invention to provide an efficient and inexpensive means for accomplishing that purpose.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device of the character described which will not substantially weaken the ribs, but which is provided with openings through which the concretious material may bond.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a channel chair having a tang at its lower end adapted to be driven into the form at the bottom thereof and which may be readily broken off upon removal of the form.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, arrangement of parts and use, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a fragmentary sectional View of the flooring taken transversely through the rib and showing the chair and the reinforcing material supported thereby.

Figure 2 shows a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows an edge view of the chair partly in section, and

Figure 4 shows a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate the same parts in each of the figures, the numeral I designates a concrete slab such as a flooring which is formed with depending reinforcing ribs, as 2. The flooring and ribs are poured, while in plastic state, into suitable forms as 3 of any preferred construction and shape. The portions of the forms beneath the ribs are preferably formed of timbers as 4, to which the adjacent margins of the metal forms are fastened by nails as shown.

Before pouring the plastic material, the chairs 5 are located in the rib forms the required distance apart as indicated in Figure 2. Each chair is preferably channel shaped, being formed of suitable metal as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 and said chairs have the depending pointed tangs B which are driven into the timbers 4 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 to maintain the chairs in upright position. The chairs are of such length that when located in position their upper ends will be beneath theupper surface of the completed flooring, or slab. The upper end of each chair has a half-round notch cut in the web thereof, the notches of the chairsbeing transversely aligned to receive the supporting rods 8. Also previous to pouring the concretious material, reinforcing, as 9, is located in the form. This reinforcing is preferably in the form of wire mesh. It is desirable that this reinforcing be located near the bottom of the flooring between the reinforcing ribs 2 to prevent this portion of the flooring from cracking underneath and it is also desirable that the reinforcing above the ribs 2 be located near the upper surface of the flooring above said ribs to prevent the flooring from cracking at these points above said ribs. Accordingly the reinforcing 9 above the ribs is supported by the rods 8 so as to support the reinforcing 9 in the desired position. The chairs are provided with a suitable number of openings I 0 through the web thereof so that the concretious material, when poured, may bond through the chairs to prevent undue weakening of the ribs 2.

When the concretious material is poured, and finished and allowed to set, the forms are removed, thus leaving the tangs 6 depending beneath the finished work. Across the base of each tang, adjacent the lower ends of the side flanges of the chair, there is a groove ll, made so as to weaken the tang at this point in order that the tangs may be easily broken off upon removal of the forms.

The drawing and description disclose what is now considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claim.

What we claim is:

A channel chair comprising an elongated channel shaped member having a notch at one end forming a rod seat and having an opening through the web of the member and a tapered tang at the other end of said member, said tang being weakened adjacent the corresponding end of the member to facilitate the removal of the tang.

ERNEST A. PODD. FRANCIS J. NIVEN. 

